Trudeau to name his cabinet early next month

Justin Trudeau will officially become prime minister and unveil his new cabinet on Nov. 4, but he remained vague Tuesday on when Parliament will return or when Canadian military aircraft will stop bombing Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria.

Trudeau’s first full day as prime minister-designate was a whirlwind of activity clearly aimed at showing Canadians that he would be a different type of prime minister, and that his Liberals would be a different type of government, than Stephen Harper and the Conservatives.

It started early in the morning, as the victorious Liberal leader shook hands and posed for selfies with dozens of excited morning commuters in Montreal. He later said Canadians had better get used to such interactions, despite what some will see as obvious security concerns.

“One thing I’ve shown throughout my career, and especially during the campaign and in the time that I’ve been leader, is, for me, being in touch with Canadians, hearing them, listening to them, is a big priority,” he told reporters. “I will continue to be open and accessible and in contact with Canadians.”

Trudeau returned to Ottawa around noon to deliver a speech to party volunteers and campaign workers. The Liberal leader told them that while it was a day to celebrate, “our hard work is only beginning. Our goal all along was not just to give Canadians a different government, but a better government.”

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He talked about listening to scientists, working with the public service, and delivering on the many commitments he made during the marathon election campaign. He also delivered a message to Canada’s “friends all around the world.”

“Many of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassion and constructive voice in the world over the last 10 years,” he said, in reference to international criticism of the Conservatives’ foreign policy over the past decade. “Well, I have a simple message for you. On behalf of 35 million Canadians, we’re back.”

During his first press conference with Parliament Hill journalists as prime minister-designate, Trudeau revealed he’ll announce a cabinet on Nov. 4. That will also be the day Trudeau officially become Canada’s 23rd prime minister.

The Liberal leader reiterated his plan to have gender equality around the cabinet table, and said it would be smaller than Harper’s last cabinet. He said it was important to get a cabinet appointed as quickly as possible so the Liberals can start governing.

Yet Trudeau wouldn’t set a timeline for implementing specific campaign promises. Those include ending Canada’s bombing campaign against the Islamic State (ISIL); establishing a special panel to help appoint senators to the upper chamber; and beginning work on a new electoral system to replace the current system of first-past-the-post. He said his hands were tied until after the cabinet is in place.

“Our approach is to name a cabinet as quickly as possible,” Trudeau said when asked when his government would release the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal. “Until that point, our constitutional obligation is that we have a single prime minister, and on Nov. 4 it becomes me.”

Trudeau said he had spoken to U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday about a variety of subjects, including the war against ISIL and the Keystone XL pipeline.

“I committed that we would continue to engage in a responsible way that understands how important Canada has a role to play in the fight against ISIL,” Trudeau said. “But he understands the commitments I’ve made around ending the combat mission.”

Asked specifically when the jets would be coming home, Trudeau replied: “We will be moving forward with our campaign commitments in a responsible fashion. We want to ensure that the transition is done in an orderly fashion.”

In March, Parliament approved a 12-month extension of the bombing mission and a related training effort in northern Iraq. The motion was adopted thanks to the Conservatives’ majority in the House. Both the Liberals and NDP opposed it.

Trudeau had also promised during the campaign that his first order of business when Parliament resumed would be to cut income taxes for middle-class earners. He also said his priority was “to make Parliament work and bring it back as quickly as is reasonable.” He said his team was looking at appropriate dates and times.

There was some suggestion that a number of international summits scheduled through November and early December could delay the resumption of Parliament. But while Trudeau confirmed his attendance at the UN climate change conference in Paris, his attendance at the others, including the G20, appeared up in the air.

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